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This year's China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition (中国国际航空航天博览会), or simply Airshow China, showcased the J-20. We report on these and the other Chinese gems.

 

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No less than four J-20A were showcased, this 78232 belongs to the 172nd Brigade at Cangzhou-Cangxian.

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Another pair of J-20s, displaying their internal storage bays and clean configurations.

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The J-10 has IAI Lavi lineage and is being inducted at a high pace. This J-10B 61168 belongs to 5th Air Brigade, Nanning Base. Although flyers exist for the J-10CE export version, it is still uncertain if China really is pushing sales for it.

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Another highlight was the display of Ba Yi, 1st August Aerial Demo Team equipped with a mix of J-10A single seat...

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...and J-10S dual seat aircraft painted in a gloss blue colour scheme.

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Let us move on to some heavier stuff, like this H-6K, a modern variant of the old Tu-16, that is still in production. It is operated by 24th Air Regiment at Leiyang.

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Indigenously developed, this KJ-500 AEW aircraft is a heavily modified Y-9. Wuxi is its home base where 76th Air Regiment resides. It is one of the airfields that is also used for civilian traffic. So, if you book a flight there you may just roll along their sheds...

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The Y-9 itself was also present, 10th Air Regiment uses these from Chengdu-Qionglai, it being a development of the Y-8 that was basically a license built An-12.

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For heavy hauling the Y-20A is set to augment and replace the Il-76 fleet, although deliveries are just beginning to 12th Air Regiment at Chengdu-Qionglai.

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From very big to nimble and agile, the Z-10 helicopter is being inducted into army service with 15th Brigade and peddled for export, so far without much success.

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Zhuhai is obviously being visited by various dignitaries using staff transport. In China they have a complete fleet of such aircraft looking quite civilian, like this CRJ-702ER. They use Beijing's VIP airfield Xijiao were 100th Air Transport Regiment is based.

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These VIP's might find the JH-7 somewhat ungainly, but we simply love this brute.

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Strike units are spread around the vast country and JH-7A 73179 belongs to the 126th Brigade at Liuzhou-Bailian, another of the ever decreasing airfields that is co-used by civil airlines.

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We cannot think of a more fitting way to end this overview than with the JL-8. This Sino-Pak design has been exported around the world as K-8. It was showcased by the Red Falcon Air Demonstration Team.

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As you can see, they can be quite precise. We say goodbye for now to our Chinese friends, and hope to go back there soon!